Thursday, May 1, 2008

Album Review - Phantom Planet

Phantom Planet – Raising the Dead[Fueled By Ramen; 15/04/2008]

When bands release material that makes you realise that they actually haven't disappeared off the face of the earth, sometimes it can be a humbling experience for the listener. Other times, however, it can be dull and uninspiring, and in the case of Southern California outfit, Phantom Planet, the latter applies.

The momentum the band gained through their breezy self-titled third opus is all but lost with Raising the Dead, which comprises of a host of songs that lack edge, catchiness and anything else that associates with the term “pop”. The only bright spark during the 12 tracks comes when the band slow the pace down with 'I Don't Mind', which is about as close to a ballad as Phantom Planet would come to write, ironically moving away from their usual template of sounds.

Music in this day and age needs to be churned out at a rapid rate in order to gain success. Four years without a peep results in becoming the forgotten man, and despite the strengths Phantom Planet showed four years ago, it seems that they've retreated for too long, losing that spark and churning out insipid tunes on Raising the Dead, which is no doubt the lowest point for the band yet.